Tape applying machine



Aug. 28, 1934. G HAZELT N 1,971,484

TAPE APPLYING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l 100 82 'Figfi. 46 \F 16 46- 20 a2 L I \j J AWE/V727? 1 Aug. 28, 1934. G. HAZELTON TAPE APPLYING MACHINE Filed May 5, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 AME/V7057 Patented Aug. 28, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application May 5, 1930, Serial No. 449,909

In Great Britain May 16, 1929 33 Claims. (01. 154-42) This invention relates to machines for applying adhesive tape and is herein illustrated as embodied in amachine adapted to apply adhesive tape to the seam ridge of a seamed work piece such, for example, as the back seam of a shoe upper. V t

In the manufacture of shoes the seam ridge of the back seam of the shoe upper is'in many cases covered with adhesive tape prior to the incorporation of the seamed pieces into the shoe.

It is desirable in the application of tape to such material to smooth down the seam ridge of the material.

An object of the present invention is to provide r a machinefor applying tape to sheet material which will be more effective to smooth the material than any machine heretofore proposed. In accordance with this object, a feature of the invention comprises a pair of tape applying rolls, one of which is vibrated to effect a smoothing action upon the seamed work piece. In the machine in which the invention is illustrated as embodied, the vibrated roll is freely or idly rotatable, while the other roll is driven to feed the work piece and the tape.

In addition to the smoothing member above mentioned which, as illustrated, also functions as a tape-applying member, a member is prefer ably provided to exert a smoothing action on the work at a point in advance of the application of the tape to the work piece. Also, in theillus trated machine, a member is provided for supporting the work piece against the pressure of the second-mentioned smoothing member. Preferably, too, in order to facilitate the introduction of a fresh work piece, operator-controlled means is provided for raising both of the smoothing members upon a single movement of the operator. Means for guiding the tape to the apply ing means is also provided, and the above-mentioned supporting member is positioned between the tape-guiding means and the applying means. It should be noted that, while the workpiece passes over the supporting member, the tape passes beneath it, and therefore there is no danger of the tape becoming prematurely attached to the work piece. r

In the taping of certain varieties of seamed 7 Work pieces which a finished article are to assume a doubly curved form, for example the back portion of; shoe uppers which are curvedin the same way both longitudinally and transversely of the sack seam, it is desirable to avoid any reversal or change in curvature of the work piece, either 9 during or subsequent to the application of the tape inasmuch as such reversal or change might cause wrinkling or puckering of the taped work piece. To this end, machines of the type herein referred to have been provided with tape-applying means constructed and arranged to maintain the work piece in its normal state of curvature at the point of application of the tape. Inorder further to obviate any. changing of the curvature of the work piece during the period prior to its treatment by the operating tools, another object of the invention is to provide a machine in which the work is guided to the operating tools in the same state of curvature which it assumes at the point of operation of the tools. In accordance with this object,

a feature of the invention consists in the provision,

in combination with means for applying adhesive tape upon the normally concave side of a doubly curved article, of means for guiding the article in substantially its normal state of double curvature to the tape-applying means. In the illustrated machine, the applying means is operable to applyv the tape upon the seam ridge of a seamed work piece, and the guiding meansis constructed and arranged to guide the work piece to the tape-- applying means in a state of double curvaturewith the seam ridge on the concave side of the work piece. The guiding means as illustrated herein consists of a member having a working surface which is convex in a direction transverse to the progress of the work piece and together with the tape-applying members-rolls in the illustrated machine having peripheries which are respectively concave and convex in a direction transverse to the direction of the progress of the work serve to maintain the work piece inthe desired state 'of 0 curvature at all times. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine affording a greater degree of freedom for the operators hands in guiding the work than has been the case in previous machines. Accordingly, a feature of the invention consists in the provision of a support for one of the tape-applying members positioned rearwardly of the members suhstantially in the direction of progress of the tape and the work to avoid interference with the hands of the operator-in guiding material to said members.

"The invention further consists in various features of construction and combinations and arrangements ofparts herein shown and claimed, the advantages of which will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which I Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an illustrative, embodiment of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view, partly in section, as seen from the side opposite to that of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken through the line IVIV of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view showing in detail certain of the operative instrurnentalities of the machine; and i Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan View of certain of the operative instrumentalities.

The supporting structure of the machine consists of a frame 10 adapted to be secured to a work bench and having an upwardly extending portion 12, a lower forwardly extending portion 14, and an upper forwardly extending portion 16, The frame 10 is hollow and, in addition to supporting the operative instrumentalities of the machine, it serves also to house most of the driving mechanism for these instrumentalities. Secured upon the forward end of the frame portion 14 is an upwardly extending bracket 18, and secured upon a side face of the bracket 18 is an upwardly ex tending plate 20. The plate 20 and the upper portion of the bracket 18 are formed respectively to provide bearings for a spindle 22 (Fig. 4). Secured upon the spindle 22 and extending between the plate 20 and the bracket 18 is a feed roll 24 having a convexly rounded periphery 26, that is, a periphery having a curvature which is convex in a direction transverse to the plane of the roll. Secured upon the spindle 22 and housed within a recess of the roll 24 is a gear 28. Extending within the recess of the roll 24 and meshing with the gear 28 is a pinion 30, a stub shaft 32 which is mounted in the bracket 18 serving to support and drive the pinion 30. A stationary plate 33, supported by the spindle 22 and the shaft 32, covers the outer face of the gear 28. A gear 34 is secured upon the shaft 32 for driving the latter, and meshing with the gear 34 is a pinion 36 mounted upon a shaft 38 which is journaled in bearings formed respectively by the plate 20 and the bracket 18. A worm wheel 40 is secured upon the shaft 38 and is driven by a worm 42 mounted upon a drive shaft 44 which extends rearwardly within the frame portion 14 and has a forward bearing in the bracket 18 and a rear bearing in the upwardly extending frame portion 12; The drive from the shaft 44 to the feed roll 24 is thus transmitted through the worm 42, worm wheel 40, shaft 38, pinion 36, gear 34, shaft 32.

, pinion 30, gear 28, and spindle 22.

Gil

Secured to the bracket 18 and extending about the forward portion of the roll 24 up to substantially the highest portion of the roll is a housing or guard member 46 having its inner surface concave to conform to the convex curvature of the periphery of the roll 24 and having its outer surfave convex and curved similarly to the curvature of the periphery of the roll 24. A longitudinal groove 48 is formed in the housing 46 for a purpose which presently will be made clear.

A rubbing tool in the form of a roll 50 having a concave periphery which is'substantially complemental to the convex curvature of the periphery of the roll 24 is mounted for freerotation upon a pin 52 having its ends secured respectively in a pair of arms 54. The arms 54 have hub portions 56 respectively which are journaled for free rotation upon an eccentric sleeve 58 rotatably mounted upon a shaft 60, the shaft 60 being fixed to the sides of the frame portion 16. Fixed upon the eccentric sleeve 58 is a pulley 62.

Formed upon the upper surface of the forward end of the frame portion 16 is a boss 64, and journaled in the boss 64 is a pin 66 through which is threaded a sleeve 68 having a knurled adjusting head 70. Freely slidable within the sleeve 68 is a pin 72 the lower end of which is pivotally secured by a pin 74 to the arms 54. A pair of washers 76 and '78 respectively are mounted upon the pin 72, and a compression spring 80 is interposed between the washers '76 and '78. The washer '76 engages a head formed upon the lower portion of the pin '72, and the washer 78 engages the lower end of the sleeve 68, the spring 80 serving at all times to urge the arms 54 and therefore the roll 50 downwardly. A knurled adjusting nut 82 is threaded upon the upper end portion of the pin '72 head serves to adjust the compression of the 1 spring 80. It is evident that by means of the arrangement above described any desired degree of compression of the spring may be obtained for any desired degree of clearance between the rolls.

Secured upon the upper end of the housing 46 is shaft 60. Formed in the hub 90 are inclined teeth which are engaged by complementally formed teeth on a collar 96 slidably mounted upon the stud 92 and prevented from turning by a pin 98 which extends through the stud 92 and engages slots formed in the collar 96. Threaded upon the outer end of the stud 92 is a knurled adjusting nut 100. A compression spring 102 is interposed between the nut 100 and the collar 96. The teeth of the hub 90 and of the collar 96 are so inclined that the thrust of the spring 102 tends to urge the y 1- pin 88 downwardly toward the bridge 84. The lever 94 extends rearwardly of the shaft 60 and has its rear end pivotally connected to a treadle rod 104, which is urged upwardly by a spring (not shown). in a bracket 103 secured to one of the side walls of the frame portion 16 limits the upward move ment of the rear end of the lever 94 and determines the normal or operative position of the lever 94. A look nut 105 holds the screw 101 in adjusted position. The treadle rod 104 may be de pressed to raise the pin 88 from the bridge 84. The forwardly extending portion of the lever 94 carries a pin 106 which is adapted to engage the under edge of one of the arms 54. When the pin 88 is raised by depression of the treadle rod 104 as above described, the pin 106 will serve also to raise the arms 54 and the roll 50. The abovedescribed treadle-operated mechanism is employed to relieve the pressure of the pin 88 and of the roll 50 upon the work and to raise these members to facilitate the introduction of a fresh work piece.

The above-mentioned shaft 44 and pulley 62 are driven by a belt 108 which passes first over an idler An adjustable stop screw 101 threaded f pin 88, and between the pulley 110, then over a pulley 112 which is secured to and thus drives the shaft 44, then over an idler pulley 114, then over the pulley 62 thus driving the eccentric sleeve58, then over an idler pulley 116, and then over a driving pulley (not shown) which may conveniently be positioned beneath the work table.

Acoil 118 of adhesive tape 120 is supported upon a roll 121 rotatably mounted upon a stud 123 carried by the upper portion of the upwardly extending frame member 12. The tape 120 passes from the roll 118 down'under a guide roll 122, then forwardly to a guide roll 124, then upwardly and into the groove 48 in the housing 46 with the gummed side of the tape uppermost. A cover plate 126 detachably mountedupon the frame 10 protects the tape 120 inits passage from the roll 122 to the roll 124. From the upper end of the housing 46 the tape is threadedbeneath the bridge member 84 and between the rolls 24 and 50.

In the operation of the machine a piece of sheet material, for example a seamed work piece W, to which tape is to be appliedis guided by the operator over the housing 46, between the bridge 84 and rolls24 and 50, as shown in Fig.6. The operator holds the work piece taut over the roll 24 by downward pull on the work piece on each side of the roll 24. The pressure between the rolls 24 and 50 serves to apply the 1 adhesive tape 120 upon the seam of the work piece W, while the driven roll 24 feeds the tape and also the work piece, partly by direct engagement with the work piece on each side of the tape andpartly through the attached tape. The workpieces may thus be fed one after another in close succession through the machine so that a string of them,

taped and joined by the tape, issues from the machine. In cases where the work piece is intended to assume a curved form in a finished article, such asashoe, the curvature of the rolls 24 and 50 and of the housing 46 will serve to maintain the work piece in substantially that state oi curvature. In the case of the illustrated machinethe curvature of certain of the operating instrumentalities is such as to cause the tape to be applied upon the concave surface of the work piece and any necessity of reversing the curvature of the work piece after the tape has been applied and before the work piece has been inserted in the shoe is thus avoided. An important use for the illustrated machine is the application of tape upon the back seam of a shoe upper. For such uses the pin 38 will serve to smooth down the back seam preparatory to the application of the tape, and the vibratory or back-and-forth movement of the roll Eiiwhich is caused by the rotationof the eccentric sleeve 58 will serve further to smooth down the ridge as the tap isbeing applied upon it. The of the roll 24 is preferably about R.P.l .'1., and the speed of the pulley 62 about 3000 R. P. M., so that the work when passing beneath the roll 50. receives a plurality of overlapping smoothing actions.

It will be noted that the arrangement of the frame 10 is such, with the support for the roll and driving mechanism for the eccentric sleeve 58 extending rearwardly of the operator, as to allow full freedom of the operators hands upon both sides of the roll 24 in guiding the work. The housing 46 plays a veryimportant part not only in guiding the tape to the point of application upon the work but also in assisting the operator guiding the work piece and in maintaining the work piece prior to being operated upon in its desired state of curvature. i

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the" United States is:--

1. In a machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, a pair of rolls between which adhesive tape and a seamed work piece may be passed, one of said rolls being adapted to be driven to exert a feeding action upon the work piece and the tape and the other roll being constructed and arranged to be moved back and forth substantially in the direction of feed to exert a smoothing action upon the seam ridge of the work piece.

2. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece comprising a pair of cooperating pressing rolls, means for rotating one of said rolls to feed the work piece and the tape, a carrier for the other roll arranged for movement back and forth substantially in the direction of feed, and yieldingmeans constructed and arranged to urge said rolls toward each other.

3. In a machinefor applying adhesive tape to sheet material, a rotatable work supporting roll, means for driving said roll to feed the work, a pressing roll cooperating with said feed roll, a carrier for the pressing roll, means for moving said carrier back and forth substantially in the direction of feed, and a spring acting upon said carrier to cause said pressing roll yieldingly to press the work piece against the feed roll.

4. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising a pair of rolls between which adhesive tape and a seamed work" piece may be passed, means for rotating one of said rolls to feed the work piece and the tape,

resilient means urging the other said roll to exert pressure through the work piece and through the tape to apply the tape to the work piece, andmeans for vibrating the other said roll substantially in the direction of feed to cause it to exert a smoothing action on the seam ridge of the work piece.

5 A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising a driven roll for supporting and exerting a feeding action upon adhesive tape and a seamed work piece, an idlerroll, resilient means urging said idler roll to exert pressure through the tape and through the work piece against said driven roll to apply the tape to the work piece, and means for moving said idler roll back and forth substantially in the direction of feed to cause it to exert a smoothing action on the seam ridge of the work piece.

6. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising a pair or" members constructed and arranged progressively to apply by pressure adhesive tape upon the seam ridge of a seamed work piece, a smoothing member constructed and arranged to press upon the work piece at a point in advance of the point of application of the tape to the work piece, means for supporting the work piece against the pressure of said smoothing member, and means for vibrating one of said tape-applying members to.

and means for vibrating one of said tape-apply-' ing members to fiattenthe seam ridge.

8. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a. seamed work piece, comprising a pair of members constructed and arranged to apply by pressure adhesive tape upon the seam ridge of a seamed work piece, a support for the work piece positioned in advance of the point of application of the tape by said applying means, a smoothing member constructed and arranged to press the work piece against said support to smooth the seam ridge, means for vibrating one of said tapeapplying members to obtain a rubbing action for smoothing the seam ridge, and ope ator-controlled means for relieving the pressu -s respectively of said smoothing member and of said vibrated tape-applying member to facilitate the introduction of a fresh work piece.

9. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising a pair of members constructed and arranged to apply by pressure adhesive tape upon the seam ridge of a seamed work piece, a support for the work piece positioned in advance of the point of application of the tape by said applying means, a'smoothing member constructed and arranged to press the work piece against said support to smooth the seam ridge, a carrier for one of said tape-applying members, and means for moving said carrier back and forth substantially in the direction of feed to cause said one tape-applying member to exert a smoothing action upon the seam ridge.

it. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising a pair of members constructed and arranged progressively to a ply by pressure adhesive tape upon the seam ridge of a seamed work piece, a smoothing member constructed and arranged to press upon the work piece at a point in advance of the point of application of the tape to the work piece,

meansior supporting the work piece against the pressure of said smoothing member, a carrier for one of said tape-applying members, and means for vibrating said carrier substantially in the direction of feed to cause the one tape-applying member to exert a smoothing action upon the seam ridge.

11. A machine for applying tape to a seamed work piece, comprising means for feeding a seamed work piece and adhesive tape, a smooth-- ing member positioned to engage the work piece in advance of the point of application of the tape, a lever upon which said smoothing member is pivotally mounted, a support for the work piece positioned in advance of the point of application of the tape, and resilient means carried by said lever acting upon said smoothing member to cause said smoothing member to press the work piece against said support to smooth the seam ridge of the work piece.

12. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising a pair of tapeapplying members between which adhesive tape and a seamed work piece may be passed, a smoothing member positioned to engage the work piece at a point in advance of said tape-applying members, resilient means for causing said smoothing member to press upon the workpiece, and operator-controlled means for raising said smoothing member from the Work piece.

13. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising a pair of tapeapplying members between which adhesive tape and a seamed work piece may be passed, a

smoothing member positioned to engage the work piece at apoint in advance of said tapeapplying members, resilient means for causing tape-applying pressure to be exerted between said applying members upon the tape and the work piece, resilient means for causing said smoothing member to press upon the work piece, means for supporting the work piece against the pressure of said smoothing member, and means constructed and arranged upon a single movement of the operator to relieve the pressures exerted by said tape-applying members and by said smoothing member respectively to facilitate the insertion of a fresh work piece.

1%. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising a pair of tapeapplying members between which adhesive tape and a seamed work piece may be passed, a smoothing member position to engage the work piece at a point in advance of said tape-applying members, a lever upon which said smoothing member is mounted, resilient means for causing tape-applying. pressure to be exerted between said applying members upon the tape and the work piece, resilient means for causing said smoothing member to press upon the work piece to smooth the seam ridge of the work piece, operator-controlled means for moving said lever to raise said smoothing member from the work piece, and means operable upon said movement of said lever to separate said tape-applying members against the force of said resilient means to facilitate the insertion of a fresh work piece.

15. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising a pair of members constructed and arranged to apply by pressure adhesive tape upon the seam ridge of a seamed work piece, a support for the work piece positioned in advance of the point of application of the tape by said applying means, a smoothing member constructed and arranged to press the work piece against said support to smooth the seam ridge, a lever upon which said smoothing member is mounted, and treadle-controlled means for moving said lever to relieve the pressure of said smoothing member to facilitate the introduction of a fresh work piece.

16. A machine for applying adhesive tape to sheet material, comprising means for progressively applying adhesive tape to sheet material and for feeding the tape and the material, means for guiding the tape to said applying means, and a member positioned between said guiding means and said applying means constructed and arranged to press upon the material at a point in advance of the point of application of the tape to smooth the material.

1?. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising means for progressively applying adhesive tape upon the seam ridge of a seamed work piece and for feeding the tape and the work piece, a support for the work piece positioned in advance of the point of application of the tape to the work piece, means for guiding the tape beneath said support, and a yieldable member co-operating with said support to smooth the seam ridge before the application of the tape thereupon.

18. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising means for progressively applying adhesive tape upon the seam ridge of a seamed work piece and for feeding the tape and the work piece, means for guiding the tape to said applying means, a support for the work piece positioned between said guiding means and said-applying means, a smoothing member, and resilient means urging said smoothingmem her to exert pressure through the workpiece against saidsupport to smooth the seam-ridge before the application of the tape thereupon.

19; A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising means; for progressively applying adhesive tape upon the seam ridge of a seamed work piece and for feeding the tape and the work piece, means for'guiding the tape to said applyingmeans, a support for the work. piece positioned between saidguiding means and said applying means, a smoothing member, resilient means urging said smoothing member to exert pressure through the work piece against said support to smooth the seam ridge before the applicationof the tape thereupon, and means for adjusting said resilient means to vary the pressure exerted by said smoothing member.

20. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising means for progressively applying adhesive tape upon-the seam ridge of a seamed work piece and for feeding the tape and the work piece, means for guiding the tape to said applying means, a support for the work piece positioned between said guiding means and said applying means, smoothing means constructed and arranged to press the work piece against said support to smooth the seam ridge of the work piece,and-operator-controlled means for raising said smoothing means to facilitate the insertion of a new work piece.

21. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, comprising means for progressively applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, a guide constructed and arranged to guide'the tape and to assist in guiding the work piece to said tape-applying means, a support positioned between said guide and the point of application of the tape to the work piece and interposed between the path of the tape and the path of the work piece, and meansco-operating withsaid support to smooth the seam ridge of the work piece. l

22. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a work piece which normally is curved in the same way both longitudinally and transversely of the portion to be taped, comprising a worksupporting member and cooperating therewith a pressing member the work-engaging surfaces of which supporting and pressing members are shaped so as to hold a work piece therebetween in its said normally curved form, and guiding means overlying said work-supporting member and having a channel bordered by surfaces curved in the same way both longitudinally and transversely of the channel in conformity with the shape of the work-engaging surface of said worksupporting member.

23. A machine for applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece intended in a finished article to assume a curved form, comprising means for progressively applying adhesive tape to a seamed work piece, and a guide positioned in advance of said tape-applying means having a surface which is convex transversely of the direction of progress of said tape-applying means, said guide serving to support the work piece in substantially the same state of curvature which the work piece will assume in a finished article and having a longitudinal groove in said convex surface to guide the tape to said tape-applying-means,

24. A machine for applying adhesive tape upon a piece of material intended to assume a curved form in a finished shoe, comprising a pair'of members constructed and arranged to engage between the'madhesive tape and a work piece and proma direction transverse to said direction of progress for assisting the operator in feeding the work piece to said. tape-applying members in substantially the same state of curvature in which the workpiece will be maintained by said tape members.

25-. A machine for applying adhesive tape upon a seamed work piece intended in a finishedarticle to assume a curved form, comprising a rollhaving a periphery which is convex transversely of 4 the plane of rotation of the roll, a member constructed and arranged to cooperate with said roll in progressively applying by pressure adhesive tape upon the seam ridge of a seamed work piece, said member having a working face which is concave substantially to conform to the convex pe riphery of said roll, and a guide serving to house a portion of said roll and having a working face curved similarly to the periphery of said roll to assist in guiding the work piece between said roll and said member, the curvatures of the periphery of said roll and of the working faces of said memher and said guide serving to maintain the work j piece in substantially the same state of curvature in its passage through the machine as the work piece will'assume in a finished article.

25. In a machine for applying adhesive tape upon a seamed work piece intended in a finished article to assume a curved form, comprising a roll having a periphery which is convex trans-v versely of the plane of rotation of the roll, a member constructed and arranged-to co-operate with said roll in progressively applying by pressure ad- 3 hesive tape upon the seam ridge of a seamed work piece, said member having a working face which is concave substantially to conform to the convex periphery of said roll, and a guide having a working face curved similarly to the periphery of said roll to assist in guiding the work piece between said roll and said member, the curvatures of the periphery of said roll and of the working faces of said member and said guide serving to maintain the work piece in substantially the same state of curvature in its passage through the machine as the work piece will assume in a finished article.

27. A machine for applying adhesive tape upon a seamed work piece intended in a finished article to assume a curved form, comprising a pair of rolls having peripheries which are respectively convex and concave transversely of the plane of rotation of the rolls for progressively applying by pressure adhesive tapeupon the seam ridge 28. A machine for applying adhesive tape upon a work piece intended to assume a curved form in a finished shoe, comprising means for applying adhesive tape upon the seam ridge of a normally curved work piece, said tape-applying means being constructed and arranged to maintain the work piece in its normal state of curvature with the seam ridge on the concave sideduring the application of tape, and a guide having a working surface curved convexly in a direction transverse to the seam ridge for guiding the work piece in substantially its normal state of curvature to said tape-applying means and having a longitudinal groove in said convex working surface for guiding the tape to said tape-applying members.

29. A machine for applying adhesive tape upon a seamed work piece intended in a finished article to assume a curved form, comprising a pair of members constructed and arranged to engage between them adhesive tape and a seamed work piece andprogressively to apply by pressure the tape upon the seam ridge. of the work piece, said members having Working faces which are respectively convex and concave in a direction transverse to the direction of progress of the work piece to maintain the work piece in substantially the same state of curvature which the work piece will assume in a finished article, and a guide positioned in advance of the point of application of the tape to the work piece, said guide having a working surface which is convex in a direction transverse to said direction of progress for assisting the operator in feeding the work piece to said tape-applying members in substantially the same state of curvature in which the work piece will be maintained by said tape-applying members, said guide having also a longitudinal groove in said convex working surface to guide the tape to said tape-applying means.

30. A machine for applying adhesive tape upon a seamed work piece intended to assume a curved form in a finished shoe, comprising a pair of members constructed and arranged to engage between them adhesive tape and a work piece and progressively to apply by pressure the tape upon the seam ridge of a work piece, said members having working faces which are respectively convex and concave in a direction transverse to the direction of progress of the work piece to maintain the work piece in substantially the same state of curvature which the work piece will assume in a finished shoe, and means positioned in advance of said tape-applying members for smoothing the seam ridge of the work piece.

31. A machine for applying adhesive tape upon a seamed work piece intended to assume a curved form in a finished shoe, comprising a pair of members constructed and arranged to engage between them adhesive tape and a work piece and progressively to apply by pressure the tape upon the seam ridge of a work piece, said members having working faces which are respectively convex and concave in a direction transverse to the direction of progress of the work piece to maintain the work piece in substantially the same direction of curvature which the work piece will assume in a finished shoe, a support for the work piece positioned in advance of said tape-applying members, and means for exerting pressure through the work piece against said support to smooth the seam ridge of the work piece.

32. A machine for applying tape upon a piece of sheet material comprising a plurality of members constructed and arranged progressively to apply tape to sheet material, and a support for one of said members positioned rearwardly of said members substantially in the direction of progress of the material to avoid interference with the hands of the operator in guiding the material to said members.

33. A machine for applying tape upon a piece of sheet material comprising a pair of rolls constructed and arranged progressively to apply tape to sheet material, means for imparting movement to one of said rolls, and a support for said one roll and for said movement-imparting means positioned rearwardly of said rolls in substantially the direction of the passage of the tape and of the material between said rolls to avoid interference with the hands of the operator in guiding the material to the rolls.

GEORGE HAZELTON. 

